Issue - meetings

City Strategy Service Review Proposals

Meeting: 15/02/2011 - Executive - for meetings from 03/06/00 to 26/04/11 (Item 164)

164 Review of Directorate of City Strategy PDF 139 KB

This report sets out proposals for amending the City Strategy Directorate structures to reduce costs and to provide for a more streamlined and effective approach to service delivery.

Additional documents:

Decision:

RESOLVED: (i) That the outline proposals, established through phase 1 of the review of the Directorate of City Strategy, be approved.

(ii) That authority be delegated to the Director of City Strategy to complete the review through the detailed phase 2 and to implement the outcome of the review.

REASON: In order to improve efficiency in the delivery of projects and improve the monitoring of those contracts put out to external providers, takjng account of a reduced capital programme and potential income that has previously financed this work.

Minutes:

Members considered a report which set out proposals for amending the City Strategy Directorate structures to reduce costs and provide a more streamlined and effective approach to service delivery.

Details of the proposals were set out in paragraphs 5 to 39 of the report, with the current and proposed structure of the directorate illustrated in Annex A. The main proposed changes included:

Rationalising the overall management structure and combining administration and support services functions
Combining the main strategic spatial functions to produce a more integrated strategy approach
Reducing engineering and transport capacity to reflect the downturn in expenditure due to government grant reductions
Disbanding the Engineering Consultancy
Creating a new major projects team
Combining current resources on sustainability, carbon reduction and energy management, to maximise capacity.

Consultation had been carried out in accordance with the consultation plan attached at Annex B and had resulted in a large number of constructive responses, some of which were reflected in the proposals presented in the report. Areas of concern raised during consultation were summarised in paragraph 42. It was estimated that the proposed re-structure would achieve savings of £731k.

In response to the comments made by the Unison representative on this item, Officers indicated that they had done everything possible to engage staff in the process, including carrying out consultation in line with HR advice.

RESOLVED: (i) That the outline proposals, established through phase 1 of the review of the Directorate of City Strategy, be approved. ¹

(ii) That authority be delegated to the Director of City Strategy to complete the review through the detailed phase 2 and to implement the outcome of the review. ²